Moving to LA with kids (Thousand Oaks, Santa Monica: apartment, to rent, mortgage)

[Mocon41121]

My husband is being transferred to Santa Monica. We have 3 small children so I need some serious help finding a place to live. We need an area that is within 30 minutes (during rush hour) from santa Monica, has great schools, is family friendly and is "reasonably" priced. I would like to rent for the first year to get a feel for the area. We are looking to spend around $3500 per month and need 4 bedrooms. Does anyone have any suggestions on where I should look???

[altoidboy]

For that price, I think you would be able to live in Santa Monica comfortably...but a lot depends upon the standard of living you expect. Are you trying to get into a 4br house so each kid has room? Or are you willing to economize in a 3br apartment? Etc...

Strongly agree with you renting for the first year. As I've written previously, L.A. is very unpredictable; one block (or one building) can be beautiful, while the next one over is hideous. You have to see it in person before you decide.

As far as other places to look, besides Santa Monica itself (which is pretty expensive) if you'd like to save a little money, definitely check out Culver City, perhaps Cheviot Hills. They're a little more inland (so the price goes down a bit) but Culver City has some very charming, quiet, and suburban parts of town that are a joy to live in. And it should be <30 minutes to get into Santa Monica.

You may want to come and hole up in a motel for a week so you can drive around and look a little...

Good luck!

[proudmommy]

Originally Posted by Mocon41121

We have 3 small children so I need some serious help finding a place to live.

California School Performance Maps

[backpacker71]

You will need to be in Santa Monica if you want a half hour commute during rush hour. It can sometimes take that long to go ten blocks in Santa Monica. It's a good area. I don't think of it as being kid friendly though. More of a young single profesional's town or hipsters. Lots of bars, clubs, places to eat, cafe's and the like. Others can confirm or deny but that's what I know of the area. You may expand the commute time and go over the Sepulveda pass to Woodland Hills area. Nice kid foriendly town and quieter.

[bellabella80]

Ok, so I was born and raised here and 30 mins in rush hour isn't going to happen based on your budget. No offense, but just not realistic. Everyone in LA commutes at least 45 mins, and that's a quick commute! (I'm talking about 15 miles takes that long!) If you're willing to do maybe 45- and hour, I have the perfect area for you: El Segundo. It's by the beach, has a nice suburban, small town feel while being in the middle of the city. It's close to LAX, and it's affordable. I lived there with a few friends in college, VERY family-friendly area. It's close to Marina Del Rey, Santa Monica, Venice, etc. Santa Monica, west LA, Venice, etc are all prime spots so their ultra expensive and plus, I wouldn't have my kids live there...El Segundo is more south. It IS off of the 405 (avoid at all costs!) but you can take streets to Santa Monica. If you want better rent prices and that family-type of feel... (hmm..maybe 1hr in rush hour, 25 mins otherwise) you might want to check out the San Fernando Valley which is suburban, very family friendly and also affordable. Nice areas include Sherman Oaks, Encino, Studio City...(East Valley) or if you can afford more time in the morning for your commute, North Valley is nice: Granada Hills (where I live) or Northridge...It's where most of the stars live because it's nice and affordable while being out of the Hollywood scene. Lots of restaurants, shopping, kid-friendly things to do, parks and recreation...It's close enough to the beaches and city to do things, but far enough away to avoid the traffic, fast-paced LA/Hollywood scene, and afford your rent. The westside, where you mentioned (Santa Monica) is very cliche "LA". You're going to faint when you see the rent prices. But like I said, El Segundo was the best kept secret I've ever found. I would search craigslist for places and remember, the 405, 101 and 10 freeways about double your commute time during rush hour, so go to google maps if you find a place and it will give you directions with a "rush hour" estimate of time it will take in traffic...Hope this helped!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by bellabella80

Ok, so I was born and raised here and 30 mins in rush hour isn't going to happen based on your budget. No offense, but just not realistic. Everyone in LA commutes at least 45 mins, and that's a quick commute! (I'm talking about 15 miles takes that long!) If you're willing to do maybe 45- and hour, I have the perfect area for you: El Segundo. It's by the beach, has a nice suburban, small town feel while being in the middle of the city. It's close to LAX, and it's affordable. I lived there with a few friends in college, VERY family-friendly area. It's close to Marina Del Rey, Santa Monica, Venice, etc. Santa Monica, west LA, Venice, etc are all prime spots so their ultra expensive and plus, I wouldn't have my kids live there...El Segundo is more south. It IS off of the 405 (avoid at all costs!) but you can take streets to Santa Monica. If you want better rent prices and that family-type of feel... (hmm..maybe 1hr in rush hour, 25 mins otherwise) you might want to check out the San Fernando Valley which is suburban, very family friendly and also affordable. Nice areas include Sherman Oaks, Encino, Studio City...(East Valley) or if you can afford more time in the morning for your commute, North Valley is nice: Granada Hills (where I live) or Northridge...It's where most of the stars live because it's nice and affordable while being out of the Hollywood scene. Lots of restaurants, shopping, kid-friendly things to do, parks and recreation...It's close enough to the beaches and city to do things, but far enough away to avoid the traffic, fast-paced LA/Hollywood scene, and afford your rent. The westside, where you mentioned (Santa Monica) is very cliche "LA". You're going to faint when you see the rent prices. But like I said, El Segundo was the best kept secret I've ever found. I would search craigslist for places and remember, the 405, 101 and 10 freeways about double your commute time during rush hour, so go to google maps if you find a place and it will give you directions with a "rush hour" estimate of time it will take in traffic...Hope this helped!

All true but El Segundo really isn't a secret and it certainly isn't cheap. Great schools though, cool little downtown where everyone seems to know everyone. Is de-merged from the south bay and west LA by LAX on one side, the Chevron refinery on the other, the beach and the aerospace offices on the east side.

[BRinSM]

how old are your kids? if they are all elementary school age, there are plenty of good elementary schools all over the westside of LA. things start to get sketchy at the jr. high level if you can't find a good charter/magnet school. besides that, $3500 will get you a house near santa monica. it won't be the fanciest house, but it will have at least 3 bedrooms and a yard. as for bellabella80's comments, not everyone drives 45 minutes to work. my commute is only 15 minutes and i work in santa monica. i rent though, but i do live near the beach.

[JohnG72]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

. besides that, $3500 will get you a house near santa monica. it won't be the fanciest house, but it will have at least 3 bedrooms and a yard.

Yeah, this is correct. Renting, $3500 is enough. If not Santa Monica, then certainly in LA or Culver City. Depending on where your work is locatee, a 30 minute drive might be doable, even from places outside Santa Monica. Depends. You might have to compromise on the 4 bedrooms though and have the kids share a room.

You will not be able to afford to purchase though....not with that as the max monthly mortgage amount, those housing requirements, etc. That holds unless prices drop more than 30% from current prices or if you have more than 20% as downpayment. It may happen too, though demand for an area like Culver City will pick up a great deal if prices on 1500 sq ft 3bd/2ba houses in the better areas drop below $600K, and even moreso if they drop under $550K. Theres a lot of demand for the isolated areas on the westside with good schools, largely because LAUSD schools range from bad to awful to dangerous.

[MtnSurfer]

I agree about El Segundo as it meets your criteria as more of a family friendly location with regards to schools and overall environment. I also agree about that Santa Monica is great for a certain demographic which is more of the single yuppie or dual income no kids family. But I don't think of it as a traditional family kind of place. Of course there are families living there. But they are paying an awefully high price for somehwere with schools which are not the greatest - LAUSD. True there are a lot of night clubs there and other attractions like the pier, etc... But that's not really geared toward families per se.

We have friends who live in El Segundo with their children and are very happy with that area. Anywhere in the Valley will be a more painful commute going over the Sepulveda Pass. Plus the nicer parts of the Valley are further out - like Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, etc... And the valley weather and smog can be a bit oppressive, especially in the summer. Temperatures can vary as much as 30-40 degrees from the coastal areas (90s/100s vs. 60s).

Derek

[JohnG72]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

Of course there are families living there. But they are paying an awefully high price for somehwere with schools which are not the greatest - LAUSD.

?????????Que???????????????

Santa Monica has its own school district and is not part of LAUSD.

Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District